November 2008

A glimpse of life in the Greenpeace office, courtesy of Isabel - who recently spent two weeks work experience helping us transform our presence on Bebo, Twitter, Flickr and other social networking sites, and generally helping us out.

Every year in my school, all the pupils of year 11 are fortunate enough to be released from the horrible grips of classwork, homework, coursework and exams to go and complete two weeks of work experience. As one myself, I didn’t fancy doing anything boring that would leave me with no useful experience, so I decided to do something a little different. Through a long chain of people I managed to land myself a placement here at Greenpeace in the web unit.

"Yes Mr Brown, we're afraid it really is that serious..."

Much as Gordon Brown would like to pretend otherwise, getting the go-ahead for Heathrow's third runway is still far from a done deal. With the Tories and Lib Dems having already rejected the proposal, the PM is now facing a growing rebellion from within his own party. Labour MPs, privately egged-on by cabinet ministers, have tabled a motion opposing Heathrow expansion in a last ditch attempt to persuade Mr Brown to change his mind - reminding him that not only will the third runway make it almost impossible for the government to hit its climate change targets, but that it is deeply unpopular with voters.

45 Labour MPs have already signed up to an Early Day Motion expressing their opposition. If this figure continues to rise, as it easily could with two weeks still to go before the motion closes, then the PM will find it increasingly difficult to defy opinion within his own party.